Crushing end to Bridport’s miserable season

BRIDPORT will no doubt be glad to see the back of the 2012 season after suffering a crushing defeat on the final day of what has been a miserable campaign.

Already consigned to life in Dorset League Division Four next year, the West Dorset outfit were unable to end the summer on a high at the weekend.

The hosts were skittled for a paltry 66 at Brewery Field before newly-crowned champions Compton House eased their way to victory inside 16 overs and without loss.

Bridport skipper Liam Toohill said: “We again struggled for players this week and we didn’t have 11 players until 11am when club chairman Paul Edwards stepped in.

“People just haven’t wanted to play cricket towards the end of the season. I am really thankful of the guys that have seen the season out from start to finish and have jumped at the opportunity to
play cricket for Bridport.

“I won the toss and decided to bat. We had nothing to lose so I just wanted us to put some runs on the board and give Compton House a good game.

“However, we slumped to 16-3 before some big-hitting from Ed Halson (14) kick-started our innings. Sadly Ed was dismissed and was shortly followed by Nige Toohill (7), who had been the rock of the
innings.

“From here on we struggled to score runs. I was though, really impressed with the batting of youngsters Callum Pattinson (9), Calvin Lewis (7) and Ant Azor (6). They scored 22 very important runs
between them, which was a third of our total, and we really needed every run we could get.

“We knew our total would not be enough. Compton House have some very good batsmen and they only needed two of them as they gained a 10-wicket victory, which also saw them go up as champions.

“We didn’t score enough runs and this has been a real issue all season. We gave it our all with our bowling but couldn’t get a wicket.

“I hope Compton House do well in the coming seasons, they are a great bunch of guys that play brilliant cricket. It’s a shame we won’t be able to play against them at their lovely ground next
season.

“I’d just like to say a few thank-yous for this season to Paul Edwards (chairman), John Good, Louis Azor (umpire), Shaun Coombes (groundsman) and Mark Smith (vice-captain). Without these people we
wouldn’t have been able to play any games.”